National council on information seeks reopening of 13 overseas centres

The 48th meeting of the National Council on Information and National Orientation held in Kaduna has called for the reopening of 13 information centres overseas.

It also recommended overseas offices for the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Voice of Nigeria (VON), and Nigeria Television Authority (NTA).

This was the position of the council after its three-day meeting in Kaduna, where 77 delegates from 17 states attended to deliberate on information management in the country.

The communiqué, which was issued by the chairman of the drafting committee, Binta Mamman, Niger State Commissioner of Information, to newsmen on Sunday, noted:
“National Information Service Centres in 13 countries abroad, with four regional/zonal headquarters within these centres for the purpose of prompt decision-making, should be reopened for reputation management as well as engendering a positive image for the country globally.”

In addition, the communiqué said:
“The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), and Voice of Nigeria (VON) should also open offices in some selected countries to complement the efforts of the National Information Service Centres (NISCs) to address the challenges associated with deployment protocols, limited career progression, and resource shortages for Information and Public Relations Officers in MDAs at both state and federal levels.”

It also called for the repositioning of the National Institute of Public Information (NIPI) Kaduna as a citadel for conducting training and capacity building for information and public relations practitioners in the country, as well as other staff in the public service and private sector.

In addition, the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations should consider adopting the institute as one of its training centres.

The communiqué also called for the completion of the Federal Government Printing Press (FGP) in Asokoro, Abuja, thereby ensuring its statutory duty of printing and publishing official and confidential documents of the government and its agencies. In addition, states should consider patronising the FGP for printing official documents for security and archival purposes.

It called for strengthening the Nigerian Press Council for effective print media regulation in the country and for the development and promotion of strategic public information systems as a tool for inclusivity to address and mitigate political tension in the country.

It also recommended the adoption of the News Agency of Nigeria’s initiative to expand its content production and dissemination to include indigenous Nigerian languages.

Additionally, it recommended that heads of information-based organisations provide appropriate communication facilities, equipment, and infrastructure and a conducive working environment for their organisations.

“Media houses should become fully digitalised for effective information dissemination, and there is a need for improved conditions of service, salary structure, and regular training for media practitioners to enhance their performance.”

The meeting also noted the flagrant abuse and disrespect of the national symbols, calling for measures aimed at restoring the dignity and standardisation of these symbols of unity and identity.

The council called for additional funding for VON, NTA, and FRCN in the face of today’s challenges.

The Council decried the incessant downgrading as well as scrapping of Ministries of Information by some state governments.

The Council, through the Ministry of Information and National Orientation, called on the state governments where these ministries were severed to, as a matter of urgency, re-establish, re-equip, and train personnel to take up the challenge of disseminating policies, programs, actions, and advocacy at all levels of government in line with international best practices.

The Council commended the Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation for conducting the National Council on Information and National Orientation in just two years in office.

The Council thanked the government and people of Kaduna State for their hospitality.

The Council also approved Akwa Ibom State as the venue for the next National Council on Information and National Orientation Meeting.

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